Norman Stanley Johnson, our beloved husband, father, and grand-father, returned home peacefully May 4, 2002 in St. George, Utah.
He was born September 28, 1930 to Norma Parkinson and Vernon Stanley Johnson in Boise, Idaho. He moved with his mother to California where he graduated from Santa Cruz High School in 1948. He attended San Jose State College before he was called to serve as a missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the Great Lakes Mission. After his mission, he served in the United States Navy for two years. On September 6, 1956, he married Carol Duane Groshell in the Salt Lake L.D.S. temple. They were married for 45 years.
Norman attended Brigham Young University, majoring in Political Science. He then attended the University of Utah Law School and graduated in 1959, his specialty being securities law. After completing law school, he served as a law clerk to the chief justice of the Utah Supreme court. He then served as an Assistant Attorney General in the office of the Utah Attorney General from 1959 to 1965. He commenced his career in private practice after serving as a staff member of the United States Securities and Exchange commission from 1965-1967. He began his own law firm in the early 1970's and was the first attorney in the State of Utah to have a woman law partner, Chief Justice Christine Durham. Norman was a senior partner in the firm of VanCott, Bagley, Cornwall and McCarthy and has had a long and illustrious legal career focusing on Federal and State Securities law. He has served as President of the Utah State Bar Association and was elected as a state delegate to the American Bar Association and was a member of the House of Delegates. He was named chairman of the Governor's advisory board on securities matters, State of Utah. In addition he served on the Governor's Task Force on Officer and Director Liability, State of Utah and numerous other committee's and groups concerned with the application of Federal and State Securities Laws. He has received numerous honors and awards in recognition of the outstanding contributions he has made to the securities practice in the Rocky Mountain Area. He actively participated in many community groups, including the Utah Supreme Court Committee on Gender and Justice.
The highlight of his career was in 1996 when he was nominated by President Clinton to be one of the two Republican Commissioners for the United States Securities and Exchange Commission. He moved with Carol to Washington D.C. where he served with the S.E.C. for almost five years. He served with distinction and was known there for his complete integrity. Even when pressured to change his vote, he stood by what he felt was right. He was an active member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. He particularly enjoyed playing devil's advocate in High Priest group discussions. He loved to teach others and he loved to speak in public and was very gifted in both of those areas. He had two passions. One was BYU football, which he could talk about for hours, and the other was his family, which brought him more joy than he ever thought possible.
He and Carol were blessed with three daughters, Kelly (Michael) Anderson of Saint George, Utah; Cathy (David) Clayton of Hurricane, Utah, and Lisa Johnson of Falls Church, Virginia. They have 10 beautiful grandchildren whom he completely adored and felt happiest and most complete when with them. Norman had an incredible integrity and humanity and he was blessed with the ability to look at all people as being his friends. He never felt that he was better than anyone else and would make whomever he was with fell as ease and valuable as a person. He was an incredible listener and friend to all. Norman S. Johnson, our husband, father, grandfather and friend, you have fought the good fight and have endured to the end. We Love You. To leave a tribute go to:
Funeral Services will be held on Thursday May 9, 2002 at 12 Noon at the Fortuna Ward Chapel, 4407 South Fortuna Way (3605 East). Friends may call Wednesday evening from 6-8 p.m. at the Wasatch Lawn Mortuary, 3401 Highland Dr., and one hour prior to the services on Thursday at the ward. Interment will be in Wasatch Lawn Memorial Park, under the direction of Wasatch Lawn Mortuary.